Electrolytic cell.



' "Ni-692.5%. Patented Feb. 4, I902.

E. A. LE SUEUR.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1898.) (No Model.)

Witnesses: fn vw /zo": v

1 M 7 h w 6 v o florneys.

"rm: nunms wanna co, Puma-mac wumnurun. n, c,

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST A. LE SUEUR, or RUMFORD FALLS, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 'ro THEELECTROCHEMICAL COMPANY, or RUMFORD FALLS, MAINE, A con- PORATION OFMAINE.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,531, dated February4, 1902.

Application filed March 8, 1898. Serial No. 673,054. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it away concern:

Be it known that I, ERNnsr A. Ln SUEUR, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritian, residing at Rumford Falls, in the county of Oxford and State ofMaine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectrolyticCells, of-which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accom pan ying drawing.

The drawing represents in vertical transverse section a cell embodyingmy present invention.

My invention consists in an electrolytic cell or apparatus of improvedcharacter by means of which the process of producing a solution of therequired alkaline hydrate may be carried on more directly thanheretofore and continuously. I have illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing a simple embodiment of the invention and will now proceed todescribe the same. I

A leading characteristic of my improved cell or apparatus may beexpressed by stating that in the Working thereof the alkaline metal asit is set free by the electrolytic action is absorbed by one side of aquantity of mercury and is continuously separated from the mercury atthe other side of the latter, whereby as fast as the alkaline metalenters the mercury it is removed therefrom and con- Verted into therequired hydrate. Thus 6 designates an external containing tank orvessel, Which preferably is formed of iron and has the negative Wireconnected therewith, as at 7. The said tank or vessel 6 is more or lesscompletely filled with water 8.

9 designates a frame consisting (conveniently) of Wooden strips unitedto one another, so as to form a rectangular frame of the requireddimensions. 1O designates a sheet of fine reticulated or foraminatedmetal-such,

, for instance, as fine Wire-gauze-which is applied to the opening'atthe lower side of the said frame. 11 is a cover of slate which isapplied to the top of the said frame 9, and 12 is a lining of cementwhich is applied to the inner surface of the frame 9 for the protectionof the latter.

The frame 9 is partly immersed in the Water 8, which is contained withinthe tank or conthe wire-gauze 10, is supposed to be contained in thepresent instance a quantity of brine, as 13. Within the compartmentwhich isinclosed by the frame 9 and its Wire-gauze 10 is placed one or aseries of anodes. The latter may be of any approved or suitableconstruction. I have herein showna series of socalled filamentaryelectrodes, each consisting of a plurality of filaments, as 14 14, ofplatinum. or other suitable material, extending in different directionshorizontally from the lower end of a stem 15of glass or other suitablematerial.

16 is the positive Wire, it being in connection with the filaments 14 14of each of the anodes, as by havin g'a branch thereof passed down withinthe interior of each of the stems 15 15and electrically connected insuitable manner with the filaments at the lower end is passed througha'hole that is made therefor in the cover 11.

17 is a layer of gravel or other material suitable for the purpose,which rests on the upper surface of the sheet of wire-gauze 10 andserves to'separate the filaments of the anodes from the said gauze. Thesheet of gauze 10 is shown herein as arranged in a horizontal positionbetween the contents of the anodecompartment and the contents of thetank or vessel 6 exterior to the frame 9. The said sheet consists ofv asheet of amalgamated finely reticulated or foraminated metal-forinstance,a sheet of amalgamated wire-gauze that is to say, I apply tothe sheet of wiregauze which I employasmall quantity of mercury, thequantity being sufficient to serve by its union with the gauze to closethe meshes of the latter. To prevent forcing of the mercury out of themeshes of the gauze and consequent flow of the contents of either compartment into the other, I maintain an equal pressure in the twocompartments. This may be effected, for example, by properlyproportioning the height of the liquid contents of -of such stem. Eachof the said stems 15 15 SO taining vessel 6, and in the said frame 9,above each compartment. An inclined position of the sheet of wire-gauze10 would cause the mercury to tend to gravitate toward the lowestportion of the said sheet. To obviate this tendency, I dispose the saidsheet in a horizontal position, as above stated.-

The finely reticulated or foraminated metal sheet 10 separates the brineabove the same from the water below the same. The inner compartmentpractically comprises a complete cell within itself, and thedecomposition of this brine takes place therein. The cathode thereof isin reality the upper surface of the amalgamated sheet. In theillustrated cell there is one anode at the filamentary electrode orelectrodes, one cathode at the upper surface of the amalgamated sheet10, a second anode at the under side of the said amalgamated sheet, anda second cathode at the surface of the metallic containing vessel-thatis to say, there are, in effect, two cells dissimilar in character andfunctions connected in series, and the liberation of hydrogen and alkalioccurs at the surface of the metallic containing-tank. In same cases Icontemplate forming the outercontainingves sel of electrically-inertmaterial and connecting the negative wire directly to the sheet 10. Inthis case the cathode action will not take place at the tank-surface,and the hydrogen and alkali will appear at the under side of theamalgamated sheet. In either case the liberation will occur in the waterof the outside compartment. It will be obvious that a sheet of metalperforated with numerous fine holes will be an equivalent of the gauzeto which reference is made herein and may be substituted therefor. Byplacing the brine in the compartment above the sheet of iron gauze 10 Icause the chlorin to be evolved above the said sheet, so that there isno tendency of such gas to collect below the latter, and theobjectionable sequences of such collection thereby are obviated.Suitable provisions will be made in practice for leading the chlorinaway as fast as it is formed.

The working of my improved cell will be obvious-that is to say, as fastas the alkaline metal is set free by the electrolytic action in theanode-compartment above the sheet 10 it will become absorbed by themercury which is amalgamated with the wire of which the said sheet iscomposed, while just as fast as it enters the mercury it will be removedtherefrom by the water in contact with the under surface of the saidsheet and by chemical union with the said water will be converted intothe required hydrate. Should the salt to be electrolyzed not beperfectly pure, there will accumulate in the mercury in the gauze aquantity of impurities,which will rap-' idly cause the said mercury tolose its fluidity. Since the amount of mercury in the gauze is soextremely small, a very small accumulation, as mentioned, will sufficeto spoil the proper action of the partition. With a view to eliminatingas far as possible the injurious consequences of such admixture withimpurities I arrange a quantity of pure mercury in receptacles 18, fromwhich it is allowed to drip through glass tubes 19, drawn down fine attheir lower ends upon the gauze at a sufficient number of points-to washout the impurities constantly being deposited during the operation ofthe cell. As fast as the mercury is thus supplied to the top surfaceofthe gauze impure mercury drips from the bottom of the latter and maybecollected and purified in any suitable manner, as by distillation. Inthe particular form of the apparatus described in the presentapplication the mercury is delivered upon the top of the layer of graveland will then percolate through to the gauze beneath. It will be obviousthat any other convenient method may be utilized of supplying freshmercury to the amalgamated surface of the sheet of gauze with a view tomaintaining it su fficiently free from impurities.

I claim as my invention- 1. An electrolytic cell for the decompositionof the salts of the alkaline metals, having an anode, a cathodeconsisting of an amalgamated reticulated or foraminated metallic sheet,one side of which receives the alkaline metal, said cell constructed tocontain in contact with that side of said sheet the'solution to bedecomposed and also to hold in contact with the other side of said sheeta body of water into which the said metal is discharged, and havingmeans of supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to maintain the mercuryheld thereby free from impurities, substantially as described.

2. An electrolytic cell for the decomp0sition of the salts of thealkaline metals, havin g an anode, a cathode consisting of amalgamatedwire-gauze one side of which receives the alkaline metal, said cellconstructed to contain in contact with that side of the said sheet thesolution to be decomposed and also to hold in contact with the otherside of said sheet a body of water into which the said metal isdischarged, and having means of supplying fresh mercury to said sheet tomaintain the mercury held thereby free from impurities, substantially asdescribed.

3. An electrolytic cell for the decomposition of the salts of thealkaline metals, hav ing an anode, a cathode consisting of a horizontalamalgamated reticulated or foraminated metallic sheet,one side of whichreceives the alkaline metal, said cell constructed to contain in contactwith that side of said sheet the solution to be decomposed and also tohold in contact with the other side of said sheet a body of water intowhich the said metal is discharged,and having means of supplying freshmercury to said sheet to maintain the mercury held thereby free fromimpurities, substantially as described.

4. An electrolytic cell for the decompositain the mercury held therebyfree from imtion of the salts of the alkaline metals, having I Intestimony whereof I affix my signature a? anode,and alsohgvingaclathodeconsisting in presence of two Witnesses.

0 an amalgamate reticu ated or foraminated metallic sheet, and havingmeans of ERNEST LE SUEUR supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to mai11- Witnesses: v

GEORGE D. BISBEE, R.'H. DEARBORN.

purities, substantially as described.-

